Do other countries have the same problem with Halloween as Finland?

23 comments

1. Is that a problem here lol never heard of it

2. I’ve lived here for over 20 years in several different areas in Helsinki and Vantaa, in apartments and houses and never once has anyone ever come to my door trick or treating.

   I haven’t even seen anyone doing it. The only people dressed up that I’ve seen were obviously going to parties.

3. Never heard of anyone getting tricked in any way if they didn’t have candy.

4. I have never seen anyone trick or treating in Finland. Easter for sure but not on Halloween.

5. What? I have never seen children going rounds other than the specific day and I definetly never heard or seen any pranks done to anyone here.

6. I saw very few kids trick-or-treating, and my anecdotal experience is very non PC, because this imported culture has not brought the nice take your kids around and see the decoration, in the cheeky kind of way that you see in US movies, or people with kids might have experienced there. It brought only the part “give me something or else” the few kids I saw around where the same i see outside doing stupid stuff all year around, wondering what their parents are doing…

7. We’ve had trick-or-treaters coming, but being Finns as we are, we just sat quietly until they went away. They’re the new TV licence inspectors of today, along with *virpojat*. Also, this year I had to explain how much trouble it is to remove eggs or paint from buildings to my son who thought it could be ”a funny prank”.

   Dammit kids, stay out of trouble by not causing any, and not accepting candies from strangers! I realize nobody would waste their edibles, but there are batshit crazy Finns with needles out here too.

8. I’ve not heard of Halloween gaining popularity here in terms of trick-or-treating. When I was a child I tried to do it one year with a friend (as the only kids in the neighborhood doing so) and we never did it again. One of our neighbors was from the US and stated she’d moved to get away rom trick-or-treaters (I think she said it in a sort of humorous way, but she also told us stories of how badly houses would get treated if they had no candy).

   I would say that Easter is the MUCH bigger, Halloween equivalent in Finland. Kids dress up as witches and go around giving good luck for the coming year in exchange for candies or coins (depending on what people have).

   The phrase for Easter is “Virvon, varvon, tuoreeks, terveeks, tulevaks vuodeks. Vitsa sulle, palkka mulle!”, which translates to “I’m wishing you a fresh, healthy upcoming year, a branch for you, a reward for me!” . I also really like the English version by Juha Vuorinen, which I used in an English Christmas card since it’s a little more “original” – “Willow switch, I’m the Easter witch! I wish you health and a love that’s rich! From me I bring some luck today, for this branch what will you pay?”.

9. I haven’t seen this personally and I would like to keep it that way. Trick or treats doesn’t belong to Finland. Everyone can have halloween parties, but don’t involve strangers to it. And specially don’t punish that stranger by harming property for not obeying in your way of celebrating halloween. Easter is just enough, we don’t need another crazy candy party with added risk of someone being idiot and throwing eggs to houses. At least at easter people behave. I personally keep that day as original pyhäinpäivä when people who has passed, will be remembered and so on.

10. Never heard of this happening.

11. No, other countries do not have this devastating problem.

12. Keep your stinky Halloween on the other side of the Atlantic. Don’t brainwash our innocent children with Anglo American tricks and pranks.

13. I’ve never actually seen any trick or treating in Finland except on Easter.

14. Never seen or even heard of anyone trick or treating in Finland. I’d say halloween hardly even is a thing in finland. Sure there are some halloween themed snacks in shops and some bat and ghost themed small decoration but does anyone actually celebrate it in any way? It’s just an excuse for shops to sell people more junk. They for sure would love it to become a thing.

    I’m sure kids would love it if it were bigger thing like in US but I haven’t seen any evidence of it even going to that direction.

15. I’m picking up what the OP is laying down.

    Where I live, we had kids come on Saturday evening and Sunday evening. No one came last night (Halloween) because it was raining.

    The problem is that Finns can’t understand that Halloween is one night, and one night only. And that night is 31 October.

    A secondary problem is that you can knock on any Finnish door at any time of the year and there’s a near certainty that there is candy somewhere in the house.

16. That’s not a thing in the states, no.

    However, You’ll get your house egged or TPed if you hand out things like Christ and Church pamphlets or boxes of raisins instead of candy.

    But that ONLY happens on Halloween. Certainly not random.

    I’m American and grew up Trick or Treating.

    So, no sir. Not a thing.

17. This just happened to me on Monday (the day before Halloween). I was super confused as to what they were doing. Also, I was outside taking the trash out and so I didn’t have any candy near me. These kids need to realize that it should only happen on Oct 31st, if at all.

18. In my town it is a problem around this time. Last year some teens were collecting candy without any costumes. One house did not give it to them (saying that the costumes were the reason). So when they closed the door the teens kicked and smashed everything they could on their yard. Lanterns, flower pots etc. Police were called but when they arrived the teens were already cone. I dont think they were caught. Egging is a yearly complaint.

    But all the other time the kids (not ALL of them) are setting things on fire and stealing stuff so I guess it not that much of a “Halloween” problem only. The schoolyard playthings have been burned. All the playgrounds have been at least partially burned. Ice skating change room was burned twice. I dont think they will rebuild it again. Really lovely here.

    In my close neighbourhood the parents have decided the date themselves. This year it was the saturday before Halloween. Some households were on a trip so they will do it the next saturday (after Halloween). That is a bit weird to me (i guess they dont want to do it on a school night) but I am thinking about buing some candy just in case. I can always eat it myself.

19. I would more like say, Halloween is basically non-existent in Finland. I have never really seen any kids, or someone going from door to door. I live here since 7 years, and Halloween here is as dead as ever.

20. I have experienced this many times. Kids go around trick or treating on random days before 31th.

    I support the new tradition and I always get some candy to give, but if we’re gonna have new annual trick or treat tradition then the rules should be followed.

    And wtf is this negative douchiness and downvoting?

21. Yeah that is something I’ve never encountered, been living within uusimaa my whole life. I’d kick the kids ass and take them to their parents if they did something like that 🫡

22. I hate that people let their kids out to beg candy from strangers especially when Halloween is not a Finnish holiday and not observed in any form.

    Again this year two kids rang my door bell, no costumes, one had drawn on his face with green and red maker some dots, both just had grocery store bags in their hand and they begged for candy. Fuck this behaviour. If you are a parent talk to your kids and if your kids absolutely have to go “trick or treating” you should go out with them and you should hit your family and people you are familiar with not strangers.

23. Yeah last night the neighbourhood kids rang my doorbell 4 times, and I was totally oblivious that last night was the night they go trick or treating.

    Did not get egged tho even if I said I don’t have treats!